


Fury & Blood

by ardentaislinn



Category: Mad Max Series (Movies)
Genre: Battle, Canon-Typical Violence, Competency, F/M, Gen, Post-Canon, Teamwork, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-13 23:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13581525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentaislinn/pseuds/ardentaislinn
Summary: War came to The Citadel.





	Fury & Blood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saltstreets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltstreets/gifts).



War came to The Citadel.

Not everyone was pleased by Furiosa taking control. She ousted many of those who had served in Immortan Joe’s higher ranks when they fought back, or protested. All vocally questioned her leadership, many tried to kill her and take the power for themselves. Furiosa couldn’t let it stand. The wives, sick of the killing, forbade her from executing in return any who defied her new leadership, so she banished them into the wasteland as punishment, hoping they would die out there.

She never thought they’d band together to survive. Never thought they would find allies so quickly, from Bullet Farm and Gas Town. She’d meant to take those places, too, but with all the strife in The Citadel she’d wanted to consolidate her strength. Get her people strong and healthy so they’d trust her leadership.

It had been a mistake.

Now, raiding parties were coming from all directions, visible on the distant horizon. Furiosa had maybe an hour to prepare her people for the coming death. 

She had some weapons, but many had been destroyed during the fight against Immortan Joe. She had some vehicles, but not as many as there had been. And she had people.

Her one remaining strength.

“We’ll set up the war rigs around the perimetre, as a barrier against them,” she yelled from the podium. Hundreds of faces stared up at her. No longer as tired or as hungry as they’d been, but still wary. Still scared.

“Any who can fire a weapon and wishes to defend our home, please take a weapon. Any who do not wish to fight,” she added. “Please see Capable and Cheedo for suitable roles.”

No one moved, and for a long moment, Furiosa thought they’d all refuse. Her heart dropped. After everything they’d been through, they couldn’t lose now. Not without a fight.

But slowly, and then with more speed, people chose their roles and headed the where she’d directed them. More than she’d expected chose the weapons, and she wondered how many had revenge on their mind. She was glad she’d given them the chance to seek the vengeance they deserved.

It still wasn’t enough, but it would have to do.

“Toast, you’re with me.”

They spent thirty minutes moving the remaining War Rigs, which hadn’t been used since Furiosa returned, and the other vehicles wedged in as many gaps as she could fill. A waste of good horsepower, if it all got destroyed. But then again, if their barrier was wrecked, they’d be dead, and the attackers would be without any transportation.

The war parties were close now.

Furiosa ordered everyone in position, and they waited, breathless and still. To her right, Furiosa saw movement. She aimed her rifle, peering down the scope. One man, not a group. He was slipping through their barricade in a way a vehicle couldn’t. Was it a raider, come to assess their defences?

The man came closer, and it took Furiosa a long minute to recognise him. When she did, she turned her gun away and aimed it ahead at the enemy. She passed the order to let him through down the line, then waited.

Another five minutes passed, with the raiders getting closer every second. So many more of them than she’d imagined possible. Where had all these people come from?

Max crouched beside her and picked up her second rifle, aiming it ahead.

“You’re back,” she commented.

He grunted.

“Any particular reason?”

“Saw them coming.” He twitched his head in the direction of the raiders. It seemed that was all the answers she’d get.

She hesitated. “Thanks for the help,” she murmured, so low she wasn’t sure he’d hear. But he must have been in tune with her, because he nodded in return.

The battle, when it came, was fierce, bloody, and brutal. Furiosa knew early that she never could have survived without Max. The two of them worked in perfect sync, picking off the raiders one by one. First with rifles, then handguns, and finally knives once they got close enough and the bullets ran too low. They loaded each other’s weapons, had each other’s backs, and were, all-in-all, a perfect team.

The casualties ran to the hundreds. Capable had set up a sick room for the injured, and those that chose not to fight instead cleaned and dressed wounds. They fetched water, tore up old clothes as bandages, and made themselves busy.

The fighters who weren’t injured pushed past their exhaustion and gathered the bodies of the raiders. That night, they burned them on a huge pyre, as a warning to any who may wish to attack again.

“Will you stay?” Furiosa ask Max, the two of them watching the fire and celebration from the platform Immortan Joe had once used to lord over his domain.

He was silent so long, Furiosa didn’t think he’d answer. She prepared herself for the morning, when she knew she’d find him gone.

In the end, he shrugged, and Furiosa knew that was the only answered she’d get.

But when she woke before dawn, and rose to start her day, she saw that Max was already awake and waiting for her.

He hadn’t left.

Furiosa smiled to herself, but didn’t mention it, knowing that would just drive him away. Instead, she put him to work, and he accepted his tasks without comment or complaint.

Every morning she woke expecting him to be gone.

Every morning she was pleased when he wasn’t.

And so life went on. Together.


End file.
